Steam injector



Feb. 16 1926. 1,573,059

M. HARD STEAM INJECTOR Filed Sept. 27, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 WIEPl- 2i lNVEN'iR M41091. /7 HRD :5 Z BY ATTORNEYS FeB. l6 1926. 1,573,059

' M. HARD STEAM INJECTOR Filed ept. 27, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "s we I Q s 19? S3 N M Q v: g Y: N Q II "M r Q: N \N 1 E I kg will.

N INVENTOR Malice/.17 Hana f: ZBY I 2 ATTORNEYf:-

Feb. 16 1926. l

M. HARD STEAM INJECTOR Filed Sept. 27. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 D M H Patented Feb. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,573,059 PATENT OFFICE.

MALCOLM HARD, or FLUSHING, NEW YORK, AssIG voR To THE SUPERHEATER COM- PANY, or NEW YO K, n. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

sTEAM INJECTOR.

Application filed September 27,1924. Serial No. 740,193.

To allwvhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MALCOLM HARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Flushing, borough and county of Queens, 5 city and State of New York, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in Steamlnjectors, of which the following is v a specification.

This invention relates to steam injectors D and particularly to that type thereof that is operated 'by the exhaust steam from an engine. The principal object of my invention is to improve upon the control system for an exhaust steam injector disclosed in 5 the United States Patent 1,531,004 granted to myself and \Villiam A. Buckbee,

March 24, 1925.

More specifically the present invention is directed to a construction of the automatic valve for controlling the admission of auxilia-ry live steam to the injector whereby said valve ,is made directly responsive to .variations in the-pressure conditions within the exhaust steam line of the engine instead of being controlled by the pressure of the live steam passing to the engine. The invention also includes 'a construction by means of which the pressure responsive member of the automatic valve may be adjusted to respond to different predetermined pressures.

A further improvement resides in provision of an automatically actuated regulating valve for throttling the exhaust steam flowing to the injector when the pressure thereof rises beyond a predetermined. amount.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates from the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming apart hereof and wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing somewhat diagrammatically an installation to a locomotive of an exhaust steam injectoi' and a control system therefor embodying my invention, a portion of the locomotive being shown in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail of the main control valve with .the automatic valve secured thereto; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of the automaticvalve; Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional detail of a portion of the injector showing the regulating valve, a portion of the injector being shown in side elevation and Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional detail of the duplex valve.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing and as described, more fully in the co-pending application hereinbefore referred to, the exhaust steam injector A has connected thereto a plurality of conduits 10, 11, 12, 13 for supplying it with exhaust steam, supplementary and auxiliary live steam, and water, respectively. Each of these conduits iscontrolled by a valve operated by fluid pressure responsive members, the admission of fluid to which is controlled by a main control valve B having connected thereto an automatic valve 0, which automatically controls the actuation of the fluid pressure means for the auxiliary live steam conduit. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, a duplex valve 1) is provided, in which are located the valves for controlling the admission of the steam from the turret S to the auxiliary and-supplementary live steam conduits. Any suitable fluid under pressure may be used to actuate the various and the passages 18 and 19 being in communication with the'passages 23 and 24 respectively, formed in the casing 25 of the automatic valve C. The pipe 21 is connected to a cylinder 26 (see Fig. 4) formed in the water valve casing 27 .and a piston28 slidably mounted in said .cylinder has its piston rod 29 connected with the water valve 30: a spring 31 being provided for normall v holding said valve 30 in closed position. The pipe 22 leads to a cylinder 32 provided in the casing of the duplex valve D, and serves to supply the fluid under pressure for actuating the piston 33 which is connected with the valve 34 for controlling the admission of live steam to the supplementary live steam conduit 11. I i

' fluid pressure responsive members, and, as.

d thereto the pipes 20, 21 and 22 respectively,

A similar cylinder 35, piston 36 and valve 3 1' are provided for the auxiliary live steam I which passes through the pipe 38 connecting the cylinder 35 with the automatic valve C. Mounted within the automatic valve casing is a valve 39 .which, when in its lowermost position shown in Fig. 2, prevents the passage of the fluid to the pipe 38 and duplex valve. A check ball valve 24 is provided in the passage 24 for preventing the fluid, which passes valve 39 when it is unseated, from flowing backwardly to the main control valve.

The construction hereinbefore described is identical with that disclosed in the co-pending application.

In the Patent 1,531,004 the automatic valve is connected with the main live steam supply line leading to the engine, whereas in the present case this valve is connected with the exhaust steam line of the engine thereby insuring its operation more directly in accordance with the exhaust steam pressure conditions within the injector. A suitable construction for the automatic valve, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, consists in the provision of a diaphragm 40 clamped between the casing members 41 and 42. The member'41 has a screw threaded nipple 43 secured within the casing 25 and-provided with a central aperture in which is slidably received the rod 44 having the enlarged head or button 45 formed at its upper end and mounted within the chamber formed by the casing members 41 and 42. The casing member 42 has its top formed to provide abonnet 46 in which a screw threaded adjustment plug 47 is mounted. This plug is provided with a central aperture in which is slidably received the stem 48 of a headed plunger 49; a spring 50 being coiled about said stemand having its end abutting the adjustment plug and the head of said plunger to force the plunger head downwardly into contact witha pressure block 51 mounted on the upper face of the dia phragm 40. Acap 52 is provided to close the upper end of the bonnet46 and is detachably secured thereto in any suitable manner so as to permit easy access to plug 47 for adjustment thereof to regulate the tension of spring 50. One end of a pipe 53 is secured to the casing member 42 and said pipe has its other end connected with the exhaust pipe 10 adjacent to the injector,

for causing the pressure of the steam within said exhaust pipe to be exerted upon the upper face of the diaphragm 40 and assist the spring 50 in holding the valve 39 upon its lower seat against the pressure of the.

fluidwithin the passa ily understood. 1 In valve 39 to close,

23, as will be readorder to permit the when the fluid pressure in the cylinder 35 and .pipe 38 is relieved, the nipple 43 is provided with an aperture 54, which vents to the atmosphere through an aperture 55 in the side wall of the casing member 41.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 I have shown a piston 40 mounted within a cylinder 42 secured to the casting 25 of the automatic valve,a spring 50 being confined between an adjustment plug '47 and pressure block 51 resting upon the upper face of the piston to hold the lower end of the piston rod 44 normally in contact with the valve 39. The upper end of the cylinder 42 is closed by a head 43 having a bonnet i In order to prevent excessive pressure I.

being built up in the injector and thereby causing it to spill when the engine is working at high speed and with a long cut off, and when the injector at the same time is regulated down to a slow feed, I provide a regulating valve for automatically reducing the amount of steam which passes to the injector. A suitable construction for such a valve may consist, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing, in providing the side of the injector with a flanged connection 60 to which the regulating valve casing 61 is secured. The valve casing 61 has formed therein a cylinder 62 in which a piston 63 is mounted. Piston 63 is adapted, when moved towards the right hand end of the cylinder, to contact with one end of a valve rod 64 having at the other end thereof a valve 65. The valve 65 is normally held to its seat 66 by the pressure of a spring 67 coiled within a spring casing 68 suitably secured to one end of the valve casing 61, and having its outer end closed by an adjustable screw plug 69 having a lock nut 70 for holding it in adjusted position.

The left hand end of the cylinder 62 communicates'with the exhaust steam chamber of the injector A through a conduit 71 which passes through the flanged connection 60. A branched conduit 72, which also passes through said flanged connection, leads to the fluid pressure cylinder 73, in which is mounted the piston 74 for actuating the injector exhaust steam valve 75. The branches 72 and 72 of the conduit lead respectively to a point substantially midway the ends of the cylinder 62 and the spring casing 68. The pipe 20 which leads to the main control valve B is connected to the right hand end of the cylinder 62 and a branch pipe 21 connects the pipe 21, leading from the water valve control to the main control valve B, with an annular chamber 76 formed in the cylinder 62, and which annular chamber is normally closed by the valve 65. The

left hand end of the cylinder 62 is closed by a cylinder head 77 having a strong spring 78 secured to its inner face to project into said cylinder for serving as a buffer to check the movement of the piston 63 to the left.

The operatibn of the system is as follows: lVhen the main control valve is in its closed or ofi-position, all of the ports for the passages ofsaid valve, with the exception of the passage 16, are closed to the fluid pressure from the pipe 14, but are open to vent the passages, pipes and fluid pressure members to the atmosphere,therefore the valves 27, 3st and 37 for the water, supplementary and auxiliary steam will be closed. The passage 16 and pipe 20 are receiving fluid under pressure from the pipe 14, which fluid enters theright hand side of the regulating valve cylinder 62 and forces the piston 63 to the left, the buffering spring78 taking up the movement of said piston as it approaches the end of the cylinder. The movement of the piston towards the left uncovers the branch 72* of the conduit 72, thus allowing the fiuid to pass from the cylinder through the branched conduit to the fluid pressure cylinder 73 of the injector, thereby forcin piston 74. to the'right and causingthe exhaust steam valve 75 to be closed.

The operation of the system when the main control valve B is set to the water on and priming positions 1s the same as disclosed in the co-pending application, the fluid under pressure in the first of said positions being led to the water valve control through the pipe 21 to cause theiwater valve.

30 to be opened and in the second position being led through the pipes 21 and 22 to open the water valve and the supplementary live steam valve 34.

l/Vhen' the main control valve B is set to the. running position, the fluid pressure from the pipe 14 is cut off from the pipe 20,1leading to the exhaust steam valvecontrol through the c linder 62, but said fluid is admitted to the pipes 21, 22 and the passage 23 of the automatic valve; the release of the pressure through pipe 20 permitting the" ex haust steam valve 75 to open, and the admission of the fluid to the pipes 21, and 22 cansing the water valve 30 and the supplementary steamvalve 34 to open. The fluid passing through passage 23 will open the valve 39 and flow through pipe 38 to open the auxiliary live steam valve 37 depending upon the pressure upon the diaphragm 40.

If exhaust steamis being supplied from the engine to the injector through the pipe 10' it will be appar ent that the pressure of said steam will be communicated through the pipe 53 to the automatic valve and will be exerted upon the diaphragm to assist the spring 50 in holding valve 39 in its lower position; in which position the fluid prestageous to prevent the operation of the invObviously a substantial decrease or increase sure is cut oil from the pipe 38 and therefore the valve 37 for the auxiliary live steam is closed. v

As the pressure of the exhaust steam, required'for the most eflicient functioning of the injector, depends upon several factors such as the boiler pressure and the suction temperature of the water, it becomes advanjector as an exhaust steam injector until the 7 exhaust steam pressure has become high enough to overcome not only the boiler pressure but also the difficulties due to high suction temperatures. Therefore, the automatic closing .of the valve39 and consequently the shutting off of the auxiliary live steam supply preferably should not take place until'the exhaust steam has reached a certain predetermined pressure. 1 Furthermore, as the above-mentioned factors may vary considerably from time to time, it is also advantageous to provide means for varying the setting of the automatic valve whereby it may be made to close at different predetermined exhaust steam pressures proportionate to the, variation of such factors. This may be accomplished "by. the provision of any suitable means, such as the adjustment plug 47. Assuming for example a maximum boiler delivery pressure of 250 lbs. per sq. in. and a suction temperature of F.- the minimum exhaust pressure required for the proper functioning of the injector is approximately 5 lbs. per sq. in. Therefore, the adjustment plug should be set to place such a tension upon the spring 50, as will cause the combined pressure, upon the diaphragm of the spring and an exhaust steam pressure of 5 lbs. per sq. in. to-close the valve 39.

in the boiler delivery pressure may be'compensated for by screwing the adjustment plug down or up, respectively.

The operation of the modified construction of the automatic valve shown in Fig. 3 and the adjustment thereof is practically identical with that shown in Fig. 2 and will be readily undersood from the.foregoing description. 9 1

In addition to the operation of the injector at a minimum exhaust steam pressure, it is also desirable to prevent an excessive exhaust steampressure, such as may occur when the engine is working at high speed and with a long out 1 off, as such excessive pressure has a tendency.

to cause the injector to spill. Therefore, I provide means for automatically throttling the exhaust steam delivered to the injector should its pressure exceed a predetermined maximum: 1

. Let it now be assumed that the {exhaust steam pressure has reached the 5 lbs. per sq.

in. minimum and that the injector is working with exhaust steam, the exhaust Steam the automatic regulation of -115 valve 75 and the water valve being open. Under these conditions it will be remembered that no fluid under pressure is present in the pipe 20 but fluid under pressure is present in the pipe 21 and the branch 21 thereof. The pressure of the exhaust steam flowing into the injector is communicated through the conduit or passage 71 to the left hand end of cylinder 63, thereby moving the piston 62 towards the right and into contact with the valve rod 64. The spring 67- will preferably be adjusted to hold valve 65 to its seat 66 until the'exhaust steam reaches a pressure of, for example, 8 lbs. per sq. in. If this pressure is exceeded the valve 65 will be moved from its seat and the fluid from the pipes 21 and 21 will pass-through the annular chamber 76, the spring casing 68, branch conduit 72 and conduit 72 to the cylinder 73, thereby causing the piston 74 to move to the right to close the exhaust steam valve 75. As the exhaust steam valve moves to its closed position it will throttle the exhaust steam flowing through the pipe 10 and consequently reduce the pressure within the exhaust steam chamber of the injector, and

limited to the specific construction of the also within the cylinder 62, thereby permitting the spring 67 to overcome the pressure of the piston 63 and close valve 65, whereby the pressure is reduced tothe predetermined maximum. It will thus be seen that the valves 65 and 75 will be in what may be termed a balanced relationship, opening and closing directly in acccordance with the pressure within the exhaust steam chamber of the injector. The operation of the system for the emergency position of the main control valve is the same as described in the. co-pending application. In this position all of the passages of themain control valve are opened to' the fluid from the pi e 14., whereby the fluid is by-passed throng the'passage 24 of the automatic valve around valve 39, thereby flowing through the pipe 38 to cause the opening of the auxiliary live steam valve 37 irrespective of exhaust steam pressure upon the iaphragm 40.

It will be understood that the principles of the invention. herein disclosed are not parts or location as shown in the drawings, but that many changes, variations and'modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having conduits connected therewith for -supplying exhaust steam and au xiliary live steam to said injector, of a pressure responsive member, in communication with the exhaust steam conduit for-{automatically controlling the admission of live steam through the auxiliary live steam conduit whentheexhauststea-m being delivered injector, having connected therewith a conpressure.

to the injector is minimum pressure.

2. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having a conduit connected therewith for supplying to said injector exhaust steam from an engine, of fluid pressure. actuated means connected with said injector and controlled by the pressureotthe exhaust steam flowingto said injector for insuring a steam pressure within said injector between predetern'iined minimum and maximum limits. I

3. The combination with an exhaust steam below a predetermined duit for supplying thereto exhaust steam 80.

from an engine, and a valve for closing said conduit, ot' a regulating valve connected with the exhaust steam chamber of said injector and means controlled by said regulating valve to cause said first mentioned valve to be moved towards closed position automatically when the exhaust steam within said chamber exceeds a predetermined maximum 4. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having conduits connected therewith for supplying exhaust steam and auxiliary live steam t6 said injector, of a pressure responsive member, in communication with the exhaust steam conduit, for automatically controlling the admission of live steam through the auxiliary live steam conduit when the'exhau'st'steam being delivered to the injector is below a predetermined minimum pressure, and means for adjusting said pressure responsive member to cause the automatic operation thereof .to occur at different predetermined pressures.

5. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having conduits connected therewith for supplying exhaust steam and auxiliary live steam to said injector and valves for closing said conduits, of fluid pressure means for actuating said valves, a'fluid pressure responsive member connected with the g exhaust steam conduit and adapted to be actuated by .the pressure of the exhaust steam flowing therethrough and a spring for assisting the exhaust steam pressure-to actuate said member. 6. The combination withan exhaust steam injector having conduits connected therewith for supplying exhaust steam and auxlliary live steam to said injector and valves for closing said conduits, of fluid pressure. means for actuating said valves, a fluid'pressure responsive memberconnected with the exhaust steam conduit and adapted to be actuated by the pressure of'the exhauststeam flowing therethrough, a spring for assisting the exhaust steam pressure to actuate said'member, and means to adjust the tension of said spring.

7. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having a conduit-connected therewith for supplying exhaust steam from an engine to said injector, and a 'valve for closing said conduit, of fluid pressure responsive means, controlled by the pressure of said exhaust steam, for automatically moving said valve towards closed position when the pressure of said. exhaust steam exceeds a predetermined maximum limit.

8. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having a conduit connected therewith for supplying exhaust steam from an engine to said injector, and a valve for closing said conduit, 0t fluid pressure responsive means, controlled by the pressure of said exhaust steam, for automatically moving said valve towards closed position when the pressure of said exhaust steam exceeds a predetermined maximum limit, and adj ustable means co-operating with said fluid pressure means for causing the automatic movement of said valve towards closed position to occur at different pressures of said e'xhaust steam. v

.9. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having an exhaust steam chamber, a conduit connecting said exhaust steam chamber with a supply of exhaust steam from an engine and a valve for closing said conduit, of a fluid pressure responsive member in communication with said exhaust steam chamber, and means controlled by the movement of said member for causing said valve to. move towards closed position when the exhaust steam within said chamber exceeds a predetermined maximum pressure. 10. The combination chamber, a conduit connecting said exhaust steam chamber with a supply of exhaust steam from an engine and a valve for closing said conduit, of a fluid pressure responsive member in communication with 'said exhaust steam chamber and means controlled by the movement of said member for causing said valve to move towards closed position when the exhaust steam within said chamber exceeds a predetermined maximum pressure, said, means including a spring for counteracting the movement of said member and a fluid pressure cylinder and piston for closing said valve.

11. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having an exhaust steam chamber, a conduit connecting said exhaust steam chamber with a supply of exhaust steam from an engine and a valve for closing said conduit, of a fluid pressure responsive member in communication with said exhaust steam chamber and means controlled by the ceeds a predetermined maximum pressure,

said means including a spring for counterwith an exhaust steam in ector having an exhaust steam acting the movement of said member, means to adjust the tension of said spring and a fluid pressure cylinder and piston for closing said valve.

12. In a control system for an exhaust steam injector having conduits connected thereto for supplying auxiliary live steam and exhaust. steam to said injector, valves 'for, closing said conduits, fluid pressure actuated means for operating valves, an automatic valve for controlling the operation'of the fluid pressure means for said auxiliary live steam conduitvalve, and a pipe leading from'the exhaust steam conduit to said automatic valve to cause the pressureof the exhaust steam to be'exerted upon said automatic valve. 7

13. In a control system for an exhaust steam injector having conduits connected thereto for supplying auxiliary live steam and exhaust steam to said injector, valves for closing said, conduits, fluid pressure actuated means for operating said valves, a main control valve for governing the operation of said fluid pressure actuated means, an automatic valve interposed between said main control valve and the fluid pressure means for the auxiliary live steam valve,

said automatic valve being provided with a said exhaust steam conduit.

' 14;. In a control system for an exhaust steam injector having an exhaust steam chamber, conduits for supplying exhaust steam and water connected with said 1njector, valves for closing said conduits, fluid pressure operated means foroperating said valves, a main control valve and pipes connecting' said main control valve and fluid pressure means for admitting fluid under pressure to said means, a fluid pressure responsive member connected with the exhaust steam chamber of said injector and saidpipes to cause the valve for said exhaust steam conduit to be controlled automaticall y by the pressure of the exhaust steam within said exhaust steam chamber.

15. In a control system for an exhaust steam injector, having an exhaust steam chamber, conduits for supplying water and exhaust steam to said injector, valves for closing said conduits, fluid pressure operated means for actuating said valves, a main control valve and pipes connecting said main control valve and fluid pressure means for admitting fluid under pressure to said means, a connection from the pipe for the water valve pressure-means leadmg to the exhaust valve pressure means, a valve interposed within said connection, and a fluid pressure responsive member connected with said exhaust steam chamber to con trol automatically the operation of said last named valve in accordance with the pressure Within said exhaust steam chamber.

16. In a control system for an exhaust steam injector having an exhaust steam chamber, conduits for supplying water and exhaust steam to said injector, valves for closing said conduits, fluid pressure oper ated means for actuating said valves, a main control valve and pipes connecting said main control valve and fluid pressure means for admitting fluid under pressure to said means, connection from the pipe for the water valve pressure means leading to the exhaust valve pressure means, a valve interposed within said connect1on, a fluid pressure responsive member connected with said exhaust steam chamber tocontrol automatically the operation of said last' named.

valve in accordance'with the pressure withn said exhaust steam chamber, a spring acting .upon said last named valve and means haust steam conduit to operate said auto-.

matic valve in accordance with pressure conditions in said exhaust steam conduit and valve means to by-passthe fluid under pressure around said automatic valve.

18. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having connectedtherewith valve controlled conduits for supplying exhaust steam and auxiliary live steam to said I automatic valve with the exhaust steam conduit 'to operate said automatic valve in accordance with the pressure conditions within said exhaust steam conduit, a. by-pass to conduct the fluid. under pressure around said automatic valve to the valve for said auxiliary live steam conduit and manually operable valve means to passthe fluid under pressure selectively through said connection or through said by-pass.

19. The combination with an exhaust steam injector having connected therewith valve controlled conduits for supplying exhaust steam and auxiliary live steam to said injector, of a pair of fluid pressure operating means, one for the valve of each of said conduits, an automatic valve for admitting fluid under pressure to eachvofsaid fluid pressure means in alternation, a connection from a source of fluid under pressure to said automatic valve, a pipe connecting said automatic valve with the exhaust steam couduit to operate said automatic valve in accordance with the pressure conditlons within said exhaust steam conduit, and valve means selectively to render said automatic valve; operative, or ino erative.

In testimony: whereo I havehereunto set my hand.

" MALCOLM HARD. 

